First Jury

Hi Manny, I performed my first jury since going back to college after 10 years. I performed the first movement of the Kennan Sonata and Charlier Etude #4 as well as some Harmonic minor scales. All and all it went pretty well. For some reason though, I was extremely nervous (my placement audition didn't go as well last June and I ended up doing an embouchure change and learned to play more relaxed) and conciously I knew that the staff had my best interest in mind but it was at a sub-consious level.

Some of the comments from the staff were: My sound has improved greatly over the last 6 months and I have a relaxed and open upper register. Sometimes my sound would be a little closed and inconsistant in the lower middle register but it was much better than it used to be and may have been caused by nerves.

My time was off a little in parts of the Sonata, I have always had a problem with keeping steady time, I talked to my Jazz band director, who was in the jury about it and he said it was much better than it used to be, but it's just something that i need to work on. I also was a little too animated in my foot tapping trying to get back in time. It was distracting and something I usually don't have a problem with, again with those nasty nerves. One of the instrutors who hadn't heard me in 6 months said I sounded like a different trumpet player with a much more open and controlled sound.

The good news is I got my level change and moved up to the 200 level after only one term. Next term I'm going to do the Thorvald Hansen Sonata for my Jury and really work on staying in better time with the accomponiment. For my audition last June, I perfomerd the Hindemith and this term the Kennan, so I picked some difficult pieces to get back into the swing of things.

The only other comment was from my Orchestra director who wants me to us a laquered or plated trumpet. I normally use a raw brass Zeus G but just got a Silver Plate Bach Strad. I will be possibly using it for Ibert's Diverssiment this next term. I'll update on that later. All and all it was a positive experience. I think now that I went through the Jury process, I'll be more comfortable in the future.

Nice you could get that out of the way before the holidays and now you can relax and reflect on what you want to improve and what you did well. I don't get the comment about using a plated or laquered horn but whatever. I guess he wants the horn to protected from your perspiration. Nice he cares that much.